UFC 91: Couture vs Lesnar

People think up some crazy stuff when they’re bored. If you are a sports fan a good portion of the that time is wondering who would claim victory in battle. Some of these make believe events seem like good ideas (Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Luis, 72 Dolphins vs. 07 Patriots ) and some of them are just plain stupid ( Bear vs. Karate Master). The one common factor in most of these battles is that its rare or impossible for them to become reality. They just seem to always sit around in “what if” world.

Several years ago there was a “what if” topic spreading like wild fire on the MMA forums all across the internet. What if Brock Lesnar became a mixed martial artist? At the time Lesnar had just left World Wrestling Entertainment to chase a dream of becoming a pro football player. It seemed like a silly question but it was very well possible. Like anything on the internet everyone had there opinion and nobody was listening to each other, but after a while something strange happened. People started agreeing and came up with a solid answer to the question. MMA fans across the web decided that Brock Lesnar would have no problem defeating the lower echelon of fighters but would not be able to compete against the very best of the heavyweight division. It was a closed case and a done deal. After that anytime some one would bring the question up again they would be met with that answer and of course other responses such as, “It’s cold in this topic” and “I hear the dinosaurs went extinct”.

Years later here we are on the threshold of UFC 91 and Brock Lesnar is fighting for the biggest prize in heavyweight fighting. With only three fights under his belt can it be said that the internet was right? Not yet, but there will be much to be said after he faces UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural” Couture. Really, Couture’s nickname should be “The World Greatest Underdog”. In his last two fights, Randy Couture was seen again as being too old, too slow, too weak, and too small to win. Both times Couture proved the fans and experts wrong and not only won but completely out classed his opponents. MMA fans worldwide were saying “ill never bet against him ever again”. It would seem now that every fan has forgot what they said. Once again Couture is seen as too old, too slow, too weak, and way too small in comparison to Brock Lesnar.

At first glace it would seem what the obvious outcome will be. Also, for the second time it would seem the internet has decided and agrees on what will happen. Lesnar will overwhelm Couture with his size and strength for the first two or three rounds of the fight. If the fight goes to the later rounds, Couture will win with his superior cardio and striking. That was easy enough right? Not really considering how many different factor and question that go into this fight.

How will the forty five year old champion handle the year long lay off? Some people might call him Captain America, but Randy Coutre is not invincible. Even he is going to feel the effects of time sooner or later. Add a year off and there will be some ring rust that might factor in to the contest.

After the year long contract battle with the UFC, where will Randy Couture be mentally? He has said before that battles in his personal life have effected his performance in the octagon. Could his court battles for the right to fight Fedor outside the UFC take its toll?

Has Brock Lesnar improved enough on his stand up to be able to trade with the champion? Against big men, "The Natural" has been very effective with his punches and dirty boxing. Hopefully the challenger has picked up enough skill to stand a chance on his feet.

How good is Lesnar’s chin? In his three MMA bouts, Brock has yet to be tested with a solid shot.

Is Brock capable of submitting or knocking out Couture? Within seconds of the first round, Lesnar floored Heath Herring with a huge punch........and then didn't capitalise on the opportunity. To make matters worse Brock seemed unable to do much when he mounted Herring or had his back. Brock Lesnar is a foolish man if his game plan is to win a decision.

What is for sure is that the UFC and Dana White want Brock Lesnar too win this fight badly. In the last two years we have seen many heavyweights leave the Ultimate Fighting Championship for one reason or another. Former UFC champs Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski are both now under contract with Affliction MMA. PRIDE FC stand out, Mirko Filipovic seems to be on his way out of fighting. At the moment there are only four athletes in the division that fans follow: Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar, Antônio Nogueira, and Frank Mir. While Couture is arguably the most popular fighter of all time, he is forty five and it’s all a matter of time before he retires for good. A win at UFC 91 and Brock Lesnar would be a stand out for a long time and just what Dana White needs for his dying heavyweight class.

Will the match live up to the hype? Does Lesnar still need a script to win a championship? Can Randy Couture overcome time and old age? Can Brock Lesnar prove the internet wrong? One thing is for sure, lets hope it’s better than Silva vs. Cote.